Apparatus with electric heating device for water-pipe smoking

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for water-pipe smoking includes a water-pipe and an electric heating device. The water-pipe has a bowl body for holding combustible smoking material therein. The electric heating device includes a shroud that confines a heating space, a handle that is connected to the shroud and that is disposed outwardly of the heating space, and an electric heating unit that includes at least one heating element mounted in the shroud, disposed in the heating space, and operable so as to generate heat for causing the smoking material in the bowl body to combust when the shroud is moved relative to the water-pipe to bring the heating element close to the smoking material in the bowl body.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from Taiwanese application no. 093217005, filed on Oct. 26, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an apparatus for water-pipe smoking, more particularly to an apparatus with an electric heating device for water-pipe smoking.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional water-pipe 1 is shown to comprise an upright pipe body 11, a smoke guide duct 12 extended into the pipe body 11, a bowl body 13 mounted on top of the pipe body 11, a cover plate 14 disposed in the bowl body 13, and a mouthpiece unit 15 coupled to the pipe body 11. The pipe body 11 has a lower portion formed with a reservoir 111 to be partially filled with a liquid body (such as water). The pipe body 11 further has a spout 112 in fluid communication with the reservoir 111 above the liquid body. The smoke guide duct 12 has a lower end that extends into the liquid body in the reservoir 111, and an upper end that extends into a smoke passageway 131 of the bowl body 13. The cover plate 14 spans the smoke passageway 131, and prevents combustible smoking material (such as tobacco) in the bowl body 13 from falling into the smoke passageway 131.

In use, the combustible smoking material is placed in the bowl body 13 on top of the cover plate 14, and is subsequently covered with a tin foil 16. Burning charcoal 17 is then placed on top of the tin foil 16 for causing the smoking material to combust. Smoke that results from combustion of the smoking material flows through a clearance between the cover plate 14 and the bowl body 13, into the smoke passageway 131 of the bowl body 13, through the smoke guide duct 12, and into the liquid body in the reservoir 111. The liquid body can filter out ash and other impurities in the smoke. The filtered smoke subsequently bubbles through the liquid body, and can be inhaled by the smoker through the mouthpiece unit 15 that is connected to the spout 112.

In the aforesaid conventional water-pipe 1, the charcoal 17 is in a burning state when placed in the bowl body 13. Therefore, as the temperature of the charcoal 17 drops over time, the flavor of the smoke being inhaled by the smoker deteriorates (i.e., the flavor becomes weaker and less concentrated), which necessitates more charcoal 17 to be placed in the bowl body 13. In addition, the burning charcoal 17 must be removed before more smoking material can be added into the bowl body 13. These result in inconvenience and safety issues when the conventional water-pipe 1 is in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus with an electric heating device for water-pipe smoking that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric heating device suitable for use with a water-pipe.

According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for water-pipe smoking comprises a water-pipe and an electric heating device.

The water-pipe has a bowl body adapted for holding combustible smoking material therein.

The electric heating device includes a shroud that confines a heating space, a handle that is connected to the shroud and that is disposed outwardly of the heating space, and an electric heating unit that includes at least one heating element mounted in the shroud, disposed in the heating space, and operable so as to generate heat for causing the smoking material in the bowl body to combust when the shroud is moved relative to the water-pipe to bring the heating element close to the smoking material in the bowl body.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an electric heating device that is adapted for use with a water-pipe. The water-pipe includes a bowl body for holding combustible smoking material therein. The electric heating device comprises:

a shroud including a surrounding wall that confines a heating space;

a handle disposed outwardly of the heating space, and having a connecting part that is connected to the shroud, and a grip part that is connected to the connecting part; and

an electric heating unit that includes at least one heating element mounted in the shroud, disposed in the heating space, and operable so as to generate heat for causing the smoking material in the bowl body to combust when the shroud is moved relative to the water-pipe to bring the heating element close to the smoking material in the bowl body.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided an electric heating device that is adapted for use with a water-pipe. The water-pipe includes a bowl body for holding combustible smoking material therein. The electric heating device comprises:

a shroud including a surrounding wall that confines a heating space and that has a distal edge;

a tubular extension having one end coupled removably to the distal edge of the shroud;

a handle disposed outwardly of the heating space, and having a connecting part that is connected to the shroud, and a grip part that is connected to the connecting part; and

an electric heating unit that includes at least one heating element mounted in the shroud, disposed in the heating space, and operable so as to generate heat for causing the smoking material in the bowl body to combust when the bowl body is extended into the heating space via the tubular extension to bring the heating element close to the smoking material in the bowl body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic partly sectional view of a conventional water-pipe;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment of an apparatus for water-pipe smoking according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic partly sectional view of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a partly exploded perspective view of an electric heating device of the first preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic partly sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of an apparatus for water-pipe smoking according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the first preferred embodiment of an apparatus for water-pipe smoking according to the present invention is shown to include a water-pipe 2 and an electric heating device 6.

The water-pipe 2 includes an upright pipe body 21, a smoke guide duct 20 extended into the pipe body 21, a bowl body 22 mounted on top of the pipe body 21, a mouthpiece unit 23 coupled to the pipe body 21, a cover plate 24 disposed in the bowl body 22, and a partition plate 25 larger than and disposed above the cover plate 24. The pipe body 21 has a lower portion formed with a reservoir 211 to be partially filled with a liquid body (such as water). The pipe body 21 further has a spout 212 in fluid communication with the reservoir 211 above the liquid body for connection to the mouthpiece unit 23. The smoke guide duct 20 has a lower end that extends into the liquid body in the reservoir 211, and an upper end that extends toward the bowl body 22. The bowl body 22 has a base wall 221 with an outer peripheral edge, a peripheral wall 222 extending upwardly from the outer peripheral edge of the base wall 221 and cooperating with the base wall 221 to confine a holding space 220 adapted for holding combustible smoking material (such as tobacco) therein, a coupling part 224 extending downwardly from the base wall 221, and a smoke passageway 223 formed through the coupling part 224 and the base wall 221 to communicate fluidly the holding space 220 and the upper end of the smoke guide duct 20. The cover plate 24 spans the smoke passageway 223, and prevents the combustible smoking material in the bowl body 22 from falling into the smoke passageway 223. The cover plate 24 maintains a clearance with the base wall 221 to enable smoke resulting from combustion of the smoking material to flow into the smoke passageway 223. The partition plate 25 is used to cover the smoking material on the cover plate 24, and is formed with a plurality of holes 251.

In this embodiment, the electric heating device 6 is extendible into the bowl body 22, and is operable so as to generate heat for causing the smoking material in the bowl body 22 to combust. The electric heating device 6 includes a metal shroud 3, a handle 4 connected to the shroud 3, and an electric heating unit 5.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the shroud 3 includes a surrounding wall 31, a mounting wall 32 that is disposed in the surrounding wall 31 and that separates an interior of the surrounding wall 31 into a lower heating space 33 and an upper wiring space 34, and a cover 35 that is mounted on the surrounding wall 31 to close the upper wiring space 34. The surrounding wall 31 has an open end part 314 that is opposite to the cover 35 and that is extendible into the bowl body 22, and is formed with a plurality of vent holes 313 therethrough. It is noted that the surrounding wall 31 is not limited to a circular shape, and can actually have other shapes to complement that of the bowl body 22.

The handle 4 is disposed outside the shroud 3, and includes a connecting part 41 made of metal and welded to the surrounding wall 31, and a grip part 42 made of plastic and connected to the connecting part 41. The grip part 42 has first and second segments 421, 422 respectively proximate to and distal from the connecting part 41. The first segment 421 is disposed closer to the surrounding wall 31 of the shroud 3 than the second segment 422. In this embodiment, the grip part 42 inclines from the connecting part 41 in a direction away from the surrounding wall 31 such that the hand of the user can be prevented from coming into contact with the metal surrounding wall 31 of the shroud 3 when the grip part 42 is gripped.

The electric heating unit 5 includes a set of electric heating elements 51 in the form of coils, a heating controller 53 disposed outside the shroud 3, a power coupling cable 52 that interconnects electrically the heating elements 51 and the heating controller 53, and a power supply cable 54 that is connected electrically to the heating controller 53 and that is terminated by a plug 541.

In this embodiment, there are three electric heating elements 51 each having a pair of terminating ends 511 mounted on the mounting wall 32 such that the electric heating elements 51 are suspended in the lower heating space 33 in a vertically spaced apart relation. One end of the power coupling cable 52 extends into the upper wiring space 34 to connect electrically with the terminating ends 511 of the electric heating elements 51. The other end of the power coupling cable 52 extends through the connecting part 41 and the grip part 42 of the handle 4 to connect electrically with the heating controller 53. The heating controller 53 is provided with a switch 531 to control activated and deactivated states of the heating elements 51, and a control knob 532 to control the heating time and/or temperature of the heating elements 51 in accordance with the smoker's needs. The power supply cable 54 is adapted for connecting electrically to an AC power outlet (not shown).

In other embodiments of this invention, the electric heating unit 5 can include only one electric heating element 51. Moreover, the power supply cable may be configured for connection to an automobile lighter socket (not shown) or to taps of a car battery (not shown).

Before the apparatus of this invention is put to use, the reservoir 211 of the pipe body 21 of the water-pipe 2 is partially filled with the liquid body, and the mouthpiece unit 23 is connected to the spout 212 of the pipe body 21. The cover plate 24 is then disposed in the holding space 220 of the bowl body 22. After placing combustible smoking material in the holding space 220 above the cover plate 24, the smoking material is covered with the partition plate 25. Thereafter, the open end part 314 of the surrounding wall 31 of the shroud 3 of the electric heating device 6 is extended into the bowl body 22 such that the partition plate 25 is disposed in the lower heating space 33, thereby bringing the heating elements 51 close to the smoking material in the bowl body 22. Subsequently, when the heating elements 51 are activated through the heating controller 53, heat generated by the heating elements 51 passes through the holes 251 in the partition plate 25 to result in combustion of the smoking material in the bowl body 22. The smoke that results from combustion of the smoking material flows through the clearance between the cover plate 24 and the base wall 221 of the bowl body 22, into the smoke passageway 223, through the smoke guide duct 20, and into the liquid body in the reservoir 211 of the pipe body 21. The liquid body can filter out ash and other impurities in the smoke. The filtered smoke bubbles through the liquid body, and exits the pipe body 21 via the spout 212 so as to be inhaled by the smoker through the mouthpiece unit 23. Therefore, this invention not only facilitates temperature control for the smoking material, but is also more convenient and safer to use when compared to the conventional water-pipe 1 that uses charcoal.

FIG. 5 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of an apparatus for water-pipe smoking according to the present invention. Unlike the previous embodiment, which includes an electric heating device 6 that is used with a water-pipe 2 having a relatively large bowl body 22, the apparatus of this embodiment includes an electric heating device 6′ that is used with a water-pipe 2 having a relatively small bowl body 22.

Like the water-pipe 2 of the previous embodiment, the water-pipe 2 in FIG. 5 also includes a pipe body 21 and a bowl body 22 mounted on top of the pipe body 21. The water-pipe 2 of this embodiment further includes a tray 213 that extends in radial outward directions from the pipe body 21 and that is disposed below the bowl body 22.

Like the previous embodiment, the electric heating device 6′ also includes a shroud 3, a handle 4′, and an electric heating unit 5. In this embodiment, the electric heating device 6′ further includes a tubular extension 61 that has one end 611 coupled removably to a distal edge 310 of the surrounding wall 31 of the shroud 3 and that flares in a direction away from the shroud 3. The tubular extension 61 defines a passage 62 that enables extension of the bowl body 22 into the lower heating space 33 to bring heating elements 51 of the electric heating unit 5 in the heating space 33 close to the smoking material in the bowl body 22. The tubular extension 61 further has a rim 612 to be seated removably on the tray 213.

Moreover, like the previous embodiment, the shroud 3 includes a mounting wall 32 that is disposed in the surrounding wall 31 and that has the heating elements 51 mounted thereon, and a cover 35′ that is mounted on the surrounding wall 31. However, the cover 35′ of this embodiment is configured to permit extension of the power coupling cable 52 of the electric heating unit 5 therethrough. Furthermore, the handle 4′ is disposed outwardly of the shroud 3, and has a connecting part 41 connected to the cover 35′, and a grip part 42 connected to the connecting part 41. The cover 35′ and the handle 4′ are made from bakelite in this embodiment. The electric heating unit 5 is similar to that of the previous embodiment and will not be described further for the sake of brevity.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. An apparatus for water-pipe smoking, comprising: a water-pipe having a bowl body adapted for holding combustible smoking material therein; and an electric heating device including a shroud that confines a heating space, a handle that is connected to said shroud and that is disposed outwardly of said heating space, and an electric heating unit that includes at least one heating element mounted in said shroud, disposed in said heating space, and operable so as to generate heat for causing the smoking material in said bowl body to combust when said shroud is moved relative to said water-pipe to bring said at least one heating element close to the smoking material in said bowl body.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shroud is extendible into said bowl body.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bowl body is extendible into said heating space of said shroud.
 4. An electric heating device adapted for use with a water-pipe, the water-pipe including a bowl body for holding combustible smoking material therein, said electric heating device comprising: a shroud including a surrounding wall that confines a heating space; a handle disposed outwardly of said heating space, and having a connecting part that is connected to said shroud, and a grip part that is connected to said connecting part; and an electric heating unit that includes at least one heating element mounted in said shroud, disposed in said heating space, and operable so as to generate heat for causing the smoking material in the bowl body to combust when said shroud is moved relative to the water-pipe to bring said at least one heating element close to the smoking material in the bowl body.
 5. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said surrounding wall of said shroud is formed with a plurality of vent holes therethrough.
 6. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said shroud further includes: a mounting wall that is disposed in said surrounding wall, that separates an interior of said surrounding wall into said heating space and a wiring space, and that has said at least one heating element mounted thereon; and a cover that is mounted on said surrounding wall to close said wiring space.
 7. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said electric heating unit further includes: a heating controller disposed outside said shroud; and a power coupling cable that interconnects electrically said heating controller and said at least one heating element.
 8. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said power coupling cable extends into said wiring space to connect electrically with said at least one heating element, and further extends through said connecting part and said grip part of said handle to connect electrically with said heating controller.
 9. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said electric heating unit further includes a power supply cable connected electrically to said heating controller and adapted to be connected electrically to a power source.
 10. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said grip part of said handle has first and second segments respectively proximate to and distal from said connecting part, said first segment of said grip part being disposed closer to said surrounding wall of said shroud than said second segment of said grip part.
 11. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said shroud is extendible into the bowl body.
 12. An electric heating device adapted for use with a water-pipe, the water-pipe including a bowl body for holding combustible smoking material therein, said electric heating device comprising: a shroud including a surrounding wall that confines a heating space and that has a distal edge; a tubular extension having one end coupled removably to said distal edge of said shroud; a handle disposed outwardly of said heating space, and having a connecting part that is connected to said shroud, and a grip part that is connected to said connecting part; and an electric heating unit that includes at least one heating element mounted in said shroud, disposed in said heating space, and operable so as to generate heat for causing the smoking material in the bowl body to combust when the bowl body is extended into said heating space via said tubular extension to bring said at least one heating element close to the smoking material in the bowl body.
 13. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said shroud further includes: a mounting wall that is disposed in said surrounding wall, that separates an interior of said surrounding wall into said heating space and a wiring space, and that has said at least one heating element mounted thereon; and a cover that is mounted on said surrounding wall to close said wiring space.
 14. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said electric heating unit further includes: a heating controller disposed outside said shroud; and a power coupling cable that interconnects electrically said heating controller and said at least one heating element.
 15. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said power coupling cable extends into said wiring space to connect electrically with said at least one heating element, and further extends through said cover to connect electrically with said heating controller.
 16. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said electric heating unit further includes a power supply cable connected electrically to said heating controller and adapted to be connected electrically to a power source.
 17. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said connecting part of said handle is connected to said cover of said shroud.
 18. The electric heating device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said tubular extension flares in a direction away from said shroud. 